As Your World Falls Down I Am Bound to You
by melody425
Summary: Damon and Elena play a category game with her i-pod. Each pick a song that expresses their feelings for the other. What songs do they choose and what is revealed? I do not own Vampire Diaries, Labyrinth, 'Bound to You', or any other affiliations.
1. As Your World Falls Down

I'm sitting in the back of a taxi cab with Damon. It is pitch black outside, so there's nothing to look at out the windows. It has already been a long drive and the silence is almost killing me. Yes, Damon and I are back on good terms and friends again, but we have problems communicating when other people are around. Our best conversations always happen when we are alone. I'm not sure why it's awkward for us to talk when other people are around, but it is. Jeez, we're practically alone now as our cab driver seems completely focused on driving, but no, it's still awkward somehow. To break the silence for myself, I pull out my i-pod and plan on listening to some light rock. As I'm putting an ear bud into my left ear, I notice Damon's head turn towards me. I look up and see a curious expression on his face.

"Do you want to listen to some music?" I ask him tentatively.

"Well, that depends," he draws out with a smile on his face, "what kind of music do you have?"

He puts his right arm behind my shoulders along the top of the seat and leans towards me to look at my i-pod. I feel my heart skip a beat for some reason.

"I have lots of different stuff. My taste in music is pretty eclectic."

I watch him in silence as he uses his left index finger to scroll through my song list. The light coming from my i-pod creates shadows on his face so I can't fully see his expression. I don't think he looks disgusted though.

"I have an idea," he says enthusiastically as he turns to look at me. "Let's play a game!"

I look at him skeptically. "What game?"

"It can be like categories, but with music. I'll give you a category and then you have to pick a song from your i-pod that you feel best fits that category. After we listen to it, you can give me a category and I'll pick a song."

I can feel a smile starting to break out on my face. That's actually a really good game idea.

"Okay," I say with a little enthusiasm, "what's my first category?"

Damon and I play that game for twenty minutes non-stop. My first category was "best dance song", so I chose Usher's "DJ Gotta us Fallin' in Love Again". The first category I gave Damon was "best blow-off song" and he chose Maroon 5's "Misery". We were having a lot of fun listening to the songs and talking about them. I am just starting to think about another good category for Damon when he touches my shoulder.

"I actually have a song I want to play for you and then I'll tell you the category after."

"Okay," I nod. We had been playing for almost half an hour, so a switch up in the game would be cool.

We connect eyes for a moment before he looks down at my i-pod and picks his song. I look straight ahead and close my eyes, trying to see how fast I'll be able to recognize the song. The music is faint at first and sounds like little tinkling bells. My eyes snap open as I recognize the song. It's "As the World Falls Down" sung by David Bowie from the movie "Labyrinth". "Labyrinth" is my all-time favourite movie. I don't think I've ever told Damon that though. My head jerks to look at him, but he's gazing out the window at the night. I decide that I'll really listen to the lyrics to see if I can guess what his category will be at end.

_There's such a sad love  
Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel  
Open and closed within your eyes  
I'll place the sky within your eyes_

"Labyrinth" is such a good movie. It has fantasy, comedy, music, David Bowie in tights, and even a little romance, or at least I think so. Yes, the movie centers around Sarah getting her baby brother back from the Goblin King, but everyone forgets how at the beginning, Sarah explains how the Goblin King falls in love with the young girl who asks him to take her brother away. Then there's this song where Sarah dances with the Goblin King, Jareth, in her peach dream. It's such a romantic song.

_There's such a fooled heart  
Beating so fast in search of new dreams  
A love that will last within your heart  
I'll place the moon within your heart  
_

But why would Damon choose this song? Best romantic song?

_As the pain sweeps through  
Makes no sense for you  
Every thrill has gone  
Wasn't too much fun at all  
But I'll be there for you-oo-oo  
As the world falls down_

The chorus makes me think of my life right now. It's painful, confusing, and not fun at all. My world is falling down around me.

_I'll paint you mornings of gold  
I'll spin you Valentine evenings  
Though we're strangers till now  
We're choosing the path between the stars I'll leave my love between the stars_

I'm so caught up in comparing the lyrics to my life that I forget that Damon is sitting beside me. I slowly turn my head to look at him and I am surprised to see that he is no longer looking out the window. He's looking right at me. Our eyes connect. There's a faint smile on his lips, only it's not a happy smile, it's sad and filled with longing. Oh my gosh, it hits me why he chose this song. This romantic song expresses his feelings for me: the longing, the desires, the trying to please me. Just as my brain is registering these thoughts, Damon opens his mouth and starts to sing softly. I had never heard him sing before.

_As the pain sweeps through  
Makes no sense for you  
Every thrill has gone  
Wasn't too much fun at all  
But I'll be there for you-oo-oo  
As the world falls down_

He's singing right where Jareth sings to Sarah in the movie while they are dancing. I can't tear my eyes off of Damon. The emotion in his eyes overwhelms me. Without really noticing or caring, I am beginning to lean towards him. This doesn't faze him; he just keeps looking at me and singing. Before I really know it, my hand has found his on his lap. We both look down at my hand on top of his for a brief moment and then look back up at each other. He lifts his other arm off of the top of the seat and gently rubs the back of his hand against my cheek. My eyes flutter close and I lean in towards his touch. This situation feels familiar, like deja-vu, but I can't place it, I can only remember feeling the same way as I do now: warm, safe, and loved.

_As the world falls down  
Falling  
Falling  
Falling  
Falling in love  
_

When I think about it, Damon has always been there for me. Even when I was mad at him, he always protected me and put my best interest before his. I'm enjoying the feeling of his hand against my cheek, but a small part of me is screaming about how this is cheating on Stefan. But is it really? Stefan and I hadn't really kissed and meant it since before I read about his early days as a vampire in Jonathan Gilbert's journals. And that was weeks ago. And now I was in a cab with Damon heading to some secret hide-out, while Stefan dealt with Katherine, a woman I still don't think he's over. As I look into Damon's blue eyes, I give him a faint smile and he smiles back. I'm brought back to the song playing as I realize that it's almost at its end. As I continue to look at him, I sing the last few lines.

_Falling in love  
Falling in love  
Falling in love  
Falling in love  
Falling in love_

As the music fades, my smile grows as I lean in to kiss him.


	2. I Am Bound to You

Our kiss is long and soft. His lips and his touch are softer than I had dreamt they'd be. As we break the kiss to breathe, Damon opens his mouth to say something, but I silence him by putting a finger to his lips. I give him a small smile and move my finger from his lips to my i-pod on my lap. My mind starts racing as I scroll through my songs. I am trying to find the perfect song that expresses my feelings for him. I stop scrolling as soon as I see the title. As I stare at the title, some of the song's lyrics run through my head and I smile as I realize that this song is perfect. I turn to look at Damon who is staring intently at me with a sparkle in his eyes. I smile at him as I hit play.

The soft and slow music fills our ears. It is a mixture of violin and piano. My eyes drop from Damon's face to his knees. I'm a little embarrassed about sharing my feelings so openly with him and I'm nervous about what his reaction will be to what he hears.

_Sweet love_

_Sweet love_

_Trapped in your love_

_I've opened up_

_Unsure I can trust_

_My heart and I_

_Were buried in dust_

_Free me_

_Free us_

I have always been attracted to Damon. Yes, he is physically handsome, but I have always seen through his tough facade to the caring and compassionate man underneath. I knew that I was supposed to be with Stefan though, so I tried to make Damon's hurtful actions represent him completely, even though I knew that wasn't true. And the fact that I knew there was more to him, kept me trapped with him evading my thoughts and dreams. Since my parents died, I haven't fully opened up to anyone. However, I have always thought that I could open up to Damon and that he would listen and understand, but I have never gotten up the courage to until now. And that's because a small part of me does worry about him going over the edge. I can't have my heart broken so badly again. If I open up fully to him, he needs to fully open up to me and stay with me. But can he?

My eyes are still on Damon's lap, but I get up the courage to look up at his face to gauge his reaction so far. He is still looking at me, but the sparkle is gone in his eyes. He doesn't look angry or upset, just pensive. He gives me a small, somewhat sad smile, like he's reading my thoughts and understands my worries. I can't help it, I take his left hand in my right hand, give it a squeeze, and then with hands still entwined, I lean my head on his shoulder.

_You're all I need_

_When I'm holding you tight_

_If you walk away_

_I will suffer tonight_

I am relieved that he doesn't pull away when I lean my head on his shoulder, but he also doesn't move.

_I've found a man I can trust_

_And boy I believe in us_

_I am terrified to love for the first time_

_Can't you see that I'm bound in chains?_

_I finally found my way_

_I am bound to you_

_I am bound to you_

I tense as I listen to the chorus of the song. This is the first time that I've told Damon in any way that I love him in more than a brotherly way. With my head still on his shoulder, I tilt my head up to look at him. He notices my movement and looks down at me. He gives me another small smile, but this one is warm and makes me smile back. I feel his right shoulder starting to move, so I gently lift my head up and watch his arm swing over my head and land to rest on my shoulder. I lower my head back onto his shoulder. I feel his right hand begin to caress my hair and his lips plant a kiss on the top of my head.

I am so glad that Damon understands my feelings through the song. I do love him and I do trust him, but I can't just erase his past actions from my mind. I also can't free myself from him. To be honest, I've tired. I know that Stefan is a good man and a better match for me by societal standards, but I have something so unique and rare with Damon. For the longest time I tried to distance myself from Damon and see him only as Stefan's brother, but I never fully could. Both brothers always have my best interest at heart, but Stefan shelters me so much and has such a tight grip on me that I can't really live. Damon realizes that I need to make decisions on my own and that he won't always be able to protect me, but that he will always be there to pick me up.

_So much, so young_

_I've faced on my own_

_Walls I built up_

_Became my home_

_I'm strong and I'm sure_

_There's a fire in us_

_Sweet love_

_So pure_

I've built up walls around myself since my parents died. Damon is the first person to fully break through that wall. I've been through so much in the last few years, but Damon has always been there since he came into my life. It was Damon who figured out my self-sacrificing plan regarding Klaus before anyone else did. Stefan saw me through rose-coloured glasses, while Damon got into my head and found out what I was really thinking and planning.

I break my stream of consciousness as I feel Damon's index finger lazily drawing circles and figure eights on my shoulder and upper arm. I shiver under his touch. I feel my body warming all over. I respond by gently stroking my right thumb over the top of his hand that I am holding. I then feel him shiver under my touch. At the same time we both snuggle in closer to each other.

_I catch my breath_

_With just one beating heart_

_And I brace myself_

_Please don't tear this apart_

This feels so right. I wish that time could stop and we could just stay here like this. After we get out of this cab, we will have to think about Katherine, Klaus, and Stefan again. I want this to work out so badly, but I am wondering if it will. Will Damon be able to be the man that I need? If so, what will we do about our future together? So many questions begin racing through my head that I bury my face in his shoulder to stop them. Damon notices my sudden movement and I feel his hand leave mine and find its way under my chin. He gently turns and tilts my head up to his. Tears have started forming in my eyes and are threatening to spill over onto my cheeks. I am managing to keep them under control, until my eyes connect with his. I see the same combination of love and pain that I am currently feeling mirrored in his eyes. That puts me over the edge and tears start streaming down my face. He takes both of his arms and envelopes me in a hug. My head ends up resting under his chin.

_I've found a man I can trust_

_And boy I believe in us_

_I am terrified to love for the first time_

_Can't you see that I'm bound in chains?_

_I finally found my way_

_I am bound to you_

_I am bound to _

I am crying for my pain, Damon's pain, and especially for the pain that Stefan will feel when I tell him that I am in love with his brother. I really do love Stefan and I never want to hurt him, but I love Damon more. I have already been lying to him over the past year as my feelings towards Damon have grown. Stefan has questioned me about my feelings for Damon before and even though I have always denied feeling anything romantic towards him up until this point, I don't think my confession will come as a complete surprise to him. I have never loved someone like the way that I love Damon. My love with Stefan was safe and predictable, whereas my love with Damon is explosive and exciting. Because of who I am, my life will always be filled with danger, so if I am to be in love with a vampire, I would rather have my life and love be adventurous instead of placid. You only get to live once.

_Suddenly the moment's here_

_I embrace my fears_

_All that I have been carrying all these years_

_Do I risk it all?_

_Come this far just to fall, fall_

_Oh, I can trust_

When I picked this song I had made my decision. I had decided to throw away my inhibitions and listen to my heart instead of my head. The event that will solidify my decision will be telling Stefan that it's over between me and him. It will be hard on both of us, but it has to be done. I can't go on living a lie anymore. Not now that I have finally accepted my own feelings towards Damon and have shared them with him. As soon as we reach our destination and Stefan and I are reunited, I will break it to him.

_And boy I believe in us_

_I am terrified to love for the first time_

_Can't you see that I'm bound in chains?_

_I finally found my way_

_I am bound to you_

_I am _

_Oh, I am _

_I'm bound to you_

As the song fades away, I slowly lift myself up off of Damon. I take a deep breath to gain some courage and then turn to him.

"I love you."


End file.
